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Abortion is Practically Prohibited after 22 Weeks in Norway

The practice of abortion in Norway has been changed after midwives at Oslo University Hospital Rikshospitalet notified the management of the hospital that people demand abortion of a healthy fetus almost six months into the pregnancy. Then a law restricting the duration of abortion right was introduced. However, the pregnancy as a result of incest or rape, or similar social reasons were exempted.

The unending discussion on the issue is reopened again in the new year. Secretary of Health and Care Services, Anne Grethe Erlandsen says to NRK that abortion should not be practiced, when fetuses have the opportunity to live. A proposal for a new stricter abortion law will soon be sent out for consultation. According to this proposal, the absolute last day a fetus can be aborted will be 21 weeks.

Abortion Act of 1975 gives all women the right to abortion, while providing healthcare professionals the right to refuse to perform or assist in the procedure for reasons of conscience. But the reservation clause applies only to doctors who perform surgery, and not primary care physicians. While approaching to the end of the year, the debate has been heated with the new government’s proposal to expand the scope of the Abortion Act by granting primary care physicians the same reservation right.

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